


The Wheel Turns

by MikeJaffa



Category: DC Super Hero Girls (Cartoon 2019), Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:40:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25174744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MikeJaffa/pseuds/MikeJaffa
Summary: Spoilers for Justice League and Justice League Unlimited episodes “The Savage Time,”  “The Balance,” and “Destroyer:”  On her way to deal with Hades and Felix Faust on Themyscira, Diana confronts memories of another reality.
Relationships: Jessica Cruz/Diana (Wonder Woman)
Kudos: 4





	The Wheel Turns

**Author's Note:**

> DC Owns the rights to Justice League and DC Superhero Girls.

“Steve.”

Sitting on the bench outside the Shady Acres senior living center, Steve Trevor turned and saw Diana coming towards him. “Angel,” he said. “Back so soon?”

Diana sat down. “I need to talk to someone. But it might sound crazy.”

“As opposed to…?”

She smiled. “Have you ever wondered what if you had been born…at another time?”

“You mean what if I was a teenager at Metropolis High? And this exotic ‘exchange student’ had a huge crush on me?”

“You do remember!” 

“Hello, Diana!”

Diana laughed and hugged him gently. Then she pulled away. “I’m sorry I couldn’t say anything in the past…”

“I understand. And I wasn’t sure it was ‘you,’ especially as you’d lost your accent.”

Diana smiled and let it come out: “Who said I lost it?” Then she went back to ‘American:’ “But I wanted to do a better job of fitting in this time.”

“I understand. So, what did you need to talk to me about?”

Diana pulled the small box out of her belt and opened it.

“I left my glasses inside,” Steve said, “but is that…?” He trailed off. 

Diana nodded. “A Green Lantern ring,” she said. “Her Green Lantern Ring.”

8

8

Although the infirmary wasn’t on the way to Shayera’s quarters, Diana went there anyway after her meeting with Hermes.

She found Supergirl outside the window overlooking Zatanna’s bed, waiting with an African American woman in a business suit. 

Diana recognized her: “Karen?” 

The woman turned and her eyes widened in shock. “Wow!” She turned to Supergirl. “You were right to warn me. She is different.” 

Diana crossed to Karen and hugged her. “It’s still me, inside where it counts.” She released Karen. “So are you still…uh….”

“Oh, my ‘Bee’ tech is ready to go, but I never got around to using it. Too nervous. But I’m running a tech company. In fact, I was up here being interviewed for a contract. I understand your IT all comes from Lexcorp?”

Diana sighed. “Bruce wasn’t happy when he found out about that.”

“I can imagine. So where’s Babs?”

“Still Batgirl—a teenager in Gotham. I never talked to her about it, and I didn’t want to draw Bruce’s attention. Technically, that reality never existed, so I didn’t want to bring it up. What about…?” She trailed off.

Karen nodded. “Jessica is about our age and running the Metropolis Peace and Justice coalition. Have you been there, Diana?”

“No, Karen.”

“Don’t go without your shield. She doesn’t have her power ring, but made it clear I was not welcome.”

“Yeah,” Diana said. “I was on Oa a while back and found out there’s never been a lantern named Jessica Cr--”

A cry made them turn. They looked to see Zatanna writhing in agony and crying out backwards. 

Karen asked, “What’s wrong with her?”

“Trouble in Tartarus,” Diana said. “I’ve been asked to set it right there. I wanted to look in on Zatanna before I left. It was good seeing you.” She started to walk away.

Karen said, “Need some help? I may be wet behind the ears, but I spend my vacations practicing. I can ‘port back to Earth and have the suit in ten minutes--”

“No,” Diana said flatly. “I risked your lives once before—and depending on how you look at it, I did, in the end, get us all killed. I’m not doing that again.” She turned to the others and softened her tone: “Stay by Zee. I’m sure she’d like to know you’re here.”

8

8

“Stay with the ship,” Diana told Shayera as she made the Javelin hover above a building in Metropolis. “I’ll be right back.”

Shayera read the screen. “‘Metropolis Peace and Justice Coalition’? What would you want there? What’s that got to do with Hades?”

“I’d tell you, but I’d have to kill you.”

“In that case, we were never here.”

8

8

“Miss Cruz?”

Jessica looked up from her desk to see Diana standing in front of her. 

“I don’t know if you remember,” Diana went on, “but we have met. At school.”

Jessica pushed her chair back. “Wow!” she said. “Karen stopped by a while ago, but even then, I saw you on the news and I wasn’t sure it was you until now. You did a great job whitewashing yourself. Your accent is almost completely gone—no one who wasn’t listening for it would know. What about the skin? Magic? Or do you just bathe in skin care products? Probably makes you more acceptable in ‘man’s world’ anyway.”

“Well….” Diana’s eyes found the fliers on the walls. “I see you’re still fighting for worthy causes.”

“Yes, I am trying to make a real difference in the world, more than fights in the street or a space gun aimed at Earth would.”

Diana noted the dig and ignored it. “I’m just stopping by, but I thought you should know. Zatanna’s been…hurt, for lack of a better way to put it. I’m on my way to fix it, and no, I wasn’t going to ask you to come. But I thought you should know.”

Jessica looked down at the paperwork on her desk. “I don’t know a Zatanna.”

Diana took a half step closer. “Jessica, we were…like sisters. I understand your reluctance, but--”

Jessica shot to her feet. “I don’t know a Zatanna! Or a Batgirl. Or Bumblebee. Or a Supergirl. Or you. No one has ever heard of the Superhero Girls. I am not now nor have I ever been a Green Lantern. And. I’m. Glad. Yes, Diana, I remember everything. I remember you and Babs talking me into an endless series of fights which accomplished nothing—no, less than nothing, because to win our last fight, our world had to be wiped out.”

“That’s not exactly what happened.”

“It doesn’t matter because technically, it never happened. So. Thank you for stopping by. I hope you help your friend. I am very busy. Good day.” She turned back to her desk.

Diana didn’t budge, and her temper bubbled up. “You know, you’re right,” she said, “it never happened. Because the Jessica Cruz I remember was a warrior and a woman of honor. She would never turn her back on a friend, no matter the situation. That can’t be you.”

Jessica didn’t look up. “Careful—your accent starts to come out when you’re angry. Can’t have that. Good day, Wonder Woman.”

8

8

Diana stewed all the way to Themyscira. The thoughts of helping Hades and having to deal with Sheyara had set off emotional storms in her, and the conversation with Jessica had only made things worse. In fact, by the time Diana got within sight of the island, she had convinced herself seeing Jessica had been a mistake. 

Fortunately, it never came up all through her time on the island and fighting Felix Faust to help put Hades back on his throne. 

She agreed to let her mother host her and Shayera for a meal when she felt a breeze. She turned at the figure stepping out between pillars.

Diana jumped to her feet. “Lord Hermes--”

“Nobody get up,” he said as he fished through his pouch. “I’m on my way to an…engagement…and Zeus asked me to make one more delivery. No big deal. Said he’d forgot before, but just as well because it’s not the sort of thing you would want to risk leaving in Tartarus. He was doing a favor for a Guardian of the Universe. You know someone named Ganthet?”

“Yes,” Diana said, “I know who Ganthet is.”

“Good. Here it is.” Hermes held out a small green box. “I was told to tell you to return it to its rightful owner.”

8

8

“And that would be Jessica,” Steve Trevor said. “And you’re not sure whether you should give the ring back to her or not.”

“She…she has a good life,” Diana said. “She’s doing what she believes is right and is, as always, passionate about her beliefs. It wouldn’t be right to force her from that. I’m no longer the kind of person who would do something like that. And strictly speaking, it never happened.” Tears ran down her cheeks. “But it’s real to me! I remember my friends—my sisters—and how much I loved them. I remember the good we did. I…I…” She completely broke down. Steve held her as she sobbed. Her accent had completely come back when she said, “Is it wrong of me to want a little piece back? Just a little?”

“No,” Steve said. “But you’re right, you can’t force her from her life. But who says you have to? Like you said, the ring belongs to her. You’re just returning her property. It doesn’t have to be more than that.”

Diana smiled. “You’re much wiser than you were in high school,” she said, suppressing her accent again.

“Not wise enough,” he said. “I still let you go, didn’t I? Twice over if you think about it. That’s actually pretty dumb.”

8

8

This time, Diana was not allowed in the building, but Diana said she wouldn’t leave until she spoke to Jessica in person. 

Jessica came outside. “What is it this time?”

“May we talk privately?”

Jessica led them to the gardening shed and closed the door. “What?” Jessica asked.

Diana fished the ring out of her belt. “This belongs to you.”

“I don’t want it. Take it back to Oa.”

“Not my job description.” She put the ring on a worktable between them. “I am not here to recruit or otherwise persuade you to do something you don’t want to do. You made your feelings plain before and I respect them. But I was told to return the ring to its rightful owner. I have done so. If you don’t want it, go to Oa yourself and take it up with Ganthet.” 

Jessica picked up the ring and cupped it in her hands. “Look, uh…I’m sorry for before. I was out of line. It’s just…no one knows. No one has ever known.” Her voice started to break. “My family, no one. I remember being in school and none of you were there. And it hurts, it hurts so much. And sometimes I wondered if I was going crazy, and I couldn’t tell anybody why.”

“Oh, Jessica.” Diana pulled her into a hug and they both cried. 

Finally, Jessica said, “Your mission. How did it go?”

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

“And how’s Zee?”

“Better I’m told. I was just heading to see her.” They disengaged. “You uh…you want to come up and see her?”

“No, I…I know you’re not here to recruit me, but I don’t think I’m ready. Give her my love.” She put the ring on her finger. It pulsed. “It is good to have this back, though. I’m sure I’ll find a use for it. Gardening tools go ‘missing’ all the time, so using this when no one is looking would be fine. At least I know I’m not crazy.” She paused and added, “Y’know, Sweet Justice is still there. You want to go for a bite before you leave?”

“Actually, I’m cutting back. I have to watch my figure. Man’s world you know.”

Jessica laughed. “Me too!”

8

8

Karen smiled and said, “Of course, you got on her good side. She chased me five blocks with a pitchfork.” The women who had been Superhero Girls in another time and place were sitting around Zatanna’s bed in the infirmary, laughing about old times that had never happened.

Diana smiled. “You’re exaggerating.”

“Oh, no, if it had been night, she would have found someone with a torch. Definitely a chase.”

They laughed.

Supergirl said, “So, at the risk of bringing up the parademon in the room, do we tell the others? Put the band back together, even if we are two short? Wouldn’t be the first team to have a lineup change.” 

Diana rubbed her hands together. “Other than being in the League,” she said, “our lives have not brought us back together, and I’m not prepared to believe the fates want more from us than that. And there would be no point if all of us weren’t together. We should stay in the League and stay friends and colleagues, but the Superhero Girls never happened and it should stay that way.” 

8

8

**_One Year Later…_ **

“A head start,” Superman chided Batman as they descended the steps from the Hall of Justice. “You’re getting soft in your old age.”

Batman smirked. “Don’t you have a tall building to go leap?”

Behind them, Diana smiled. “And the adventure continues.”

Light flashed above them and Supergirl appeared. “Diana!”

“Sister,” Diana said reflexively, but she decided that she didn’t care if anyone had noticed. “I thought you were in the future.” 

“There are rumors I was here on this day,” Supergirl said. “Who am I to argue with hist—”

“Kara! Diana!” All turned at the teenage figure running towards them in a bat costume. “I got here a quick as I--” At the sight of Diana, she paused. “Um…Wonder Woman…have we ever met?”

“Met? We’ve done more than meet. How could I forget my most beloved blood sister?”

“Eeee!” She leapt into a hug with Diana. “I never told anyone I wasn’t sure myself and then these things form Apokolikps showed up and I wanted to help but my dad put me in protective custody with the GPD SWAT team and they’re GOOD I couldn’t get away tell me I didn’t miss out!”

“You missed out,” Diana said as they disengaged, “but we worked with villains to repulse the invaders. We’re going to round them back up after giving them a five-minute head start.”

“Five-minute head start?” Babs said. “Which moron came up with that lamebrained idea?”

“Batman,” Diana said.

“Oh,” Babs said quickly, “then it was a brilliant id--”

“Did I just see…” Zatanna came running back to the group and paused at the sight of Batgirl. “Babs? Is that you?”

Before Babs could answer, green and yellow light got their attention. Bumblebee landed next to them and enlarged to human size, Jessica landing in full Green Lantern gear. 

Jessica frowned at Batgirl. “Babs?” she said.

Babs protested, “This isn’t fair! I’m stuck in high school and you guys are all grown up?”

“Hell-looooo,” Kara said, “still a teenager, even if only for two more weeks. And before anyone asks, my cousin is not as big a showboating jerk as he was last time. And as long as we’re bringing all that up….” She opened her hand and a guitar appeared in it. “31st Century, amp built in. I am going to play for you guys. Shah-reddd!”

Babs smiled. “After we have a victory dinner at Sweet Justice! I checked. Yes, it’s still there.”

Batman turned to Superman. “You have no idea what’s going on, do you?”  


“No,” Superman said, “and I’m not sure I want to know.” He turned to Wonder Woman. “Anyone care to explain?”

Diana said, “It’s a long story, which can wait. All right, my sisters. Let’s do this!”

AND THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES…


End file.
